One plate/bowl meals on a lazy Sunday evening can be easy and super satisfying. Such was the case last night. We had guests to dinner on Friday eve, busy work days for us both on Saturday, and no island guests this week-end, so we came out to WestWard Sunday morning–hence the desire for a casual dinner. A super chill day ended with supper out on the deck sitting in the Adirondack chairs with a glass of wine watching the boats sail by. Spending a ton of time cooking was just not in the cards. That is where scallops come in. They cook nice and quickly. They have a ‘specialness’ quality to even a simple meal. But they can also get dressed up for company. Here is the tasty one plate meal I whipped up in no time.

Oven set to 400. Of course. Take out scallops and pat them dry with a paper towel and salt and pepper them quite liberally. I found small scallops at the grocer, but any size will do. Set them aside while you get things ready and this will take the chill off of them. Next cut up a head of cauliflower. Break up the florets (I know they are called florets for broccoli, assuming the same for cauliflower?) to quite small pieces onto a baking sheet. The smaller the better. I especially like all the little bits that break off. Use them all. The smaller pieces get even more caramelized. Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Mix around. Put into now hot oven. While these cook away, make a pot of rice. Any rice you like. We love jasmine rice, so that is what I made. But basmati, wild or brown would be excellent too. Things are now humming along. Shake the pan of cauliflower. Now finely chop up 2 cloves of garlic and a good amount of parsley. Check the cauliflower again. You want the pieces nice and caramelized. If done, take out and take off of baking sheet to help stop the cooking process. Set on a plate but do not cover. This will steam the cauliflower and you don’t want that as it will get them soggy. I know, I have made this mistake before. The cauliflower does not need to be hot when you serve it, so it is fine just sitting at the ready.

Have a sip of wine. Check the rice. Now you are ready to cook the scallops. Put a knob of butter in a sauté pan and let melt on medium high heat. Add that finely minced garlic you so carefully chopped up. Cook for about 30 seconds and then add the scallops. They will cook quite quickly. 3 to 4 minutes max. Move them around as they cook. If they are larger, they will take a bit longer. Once done take off the heat, add some of the chopped parsley and squeeze a lemon over all. The lemon juice will mix with the butter and garlic and parsley and help make a nice little sauce.

On the plate, add a big spoonful of rice. Next a smattering of the cauliflower and then top all that with the scallops. Lastly, a dusting of more parsley. So easy, one plate, and you are off to eat.

This abundant produce time of year, think of using it in place of flowers. A big bunch of kale looks swell in the center of a table. Asparagus standing up to be enjoyed visually before cooked for a meal. A handful of parsley in a simple clear glass that you can pull from as you cook but just looks great all along the way. Bunches or pots of basil a nod to the sunny season.

The herbs in our zinc herb box are growing like weeds at this glorious part of August. We are using them in dishes every chance we can think of. But I also really love using them as a flower alternative. The parsley this year has been incredibly plentiful, and has grown quite tall. The stems would be perfect in a clear vintage beaker, next to a vintage glove mold on a small side table. The willowy greens adding just the right amount of life and color. If placed out of the sun, and with frequent water changes and a fresh cut, the arrangement can last for weeks.

I am sure many of you already know this, but I did not. I learned a gardening tip from our friend Sylvia, who owns www.dignursery.com along with Ross on Vashon Island. Cut your flowers and herbs in the early morning–they respond so much better that way to having been cut. I was cutting things in the mid-day sun, and the flowers & herbs were not responding as well when I put them into a container.

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We’ve long been fans of Seattle retailer Ted Kennedy Watson and his first title certainly lives up to it’s stylish name. The lavish A to Z guide is bursting with tips on how to create a cozy, chic and inviting home.